Missiles which are fired from the air are suspended from launchers which are provided on the wings of an aircraft. To this end, the missiles are provided with "hangers", which are locked in the retaining mechanisms of the launcher. These hangers are parts having a substantially T-shaped cross-section. The "cross beams" of the "T" form two carrying rails, which lie on the inward extending guiding ledges of the launcher. Conventionally, a missile is provided with three such hangers. On loading the missile in the launcher, the hangers are pushed upwards through recesses in the guiding ledges. The missile is then pushed in longitudinally and is locked into the retaining mechanism of the launcher. To fire the missile, the retaining mechanism is released and the rocket motor is ignited. The missile is then pushed forward and out of the launcher by the thrust of the rocket motor, whereby the hangers slide over the guiding ledges. Therefore, the further back along the missile the hanger is located, the longer the carrying rails of the hanger must be, in order to allow the carrying rails to safely slide over the recesses of the guiding ledges allocated to the hangers further in front.
In a prior art missile, three such hangers are provided. The foremost hanger is mounted directly on the tubular airframe of the missile, in the region of a spar. This is done using screws, which are screwed from outside, radially to the outer cylindrical surface of the missile. A further hanger is fixed to a clamp or "belly band", which is laid around the airframe of the missile. The clamp is located on the airframe of the missile in the region of the rocket motor, where it is not possible to screw the hanger directly onto the airframe. A hanger is fixed to the clamp with screws which are guided through the clamp and the hanger from inside. A third hanger forms an integral part of the clamp.
The hangers are subjected to heavy wear. With time, this negatively affects their performance. However, with the prior art constructions, it is not possible to exchange the clamp-mounted hangers. The clamp must be removed, in order to loosen the screws, which are screwed in from the inside through the clamp and into the hangers. That is, however, not permissible. The clamp with an integrated hanger, must also be removed and exchanged in a non-permissible way, in order to exchange the hangers. It can also be that due to the retrofitting of existing missiles, the hanger must be mounted on a different position along the missile, where for example, there is no existing spar and therefore, it is not possible to screw the hanger on directly.